Category Archives: Catholic Traditions

It is not a coincidence that Catholic Latinos are highly devoted to the Virgin Mary. It is a heritage from Spain and it is due to the series of mystical manifestations that occurred throughout the histories of these countries.

There is a long list of Marian devotions in Latin America; they are almost innumberable. Some titles of Our Lady represent a whole nation, with other titles for nearly every town, city, and region. Read 20 Marian Devotions by Country in Latin America.

Out of all the many Marian devotions in Latin America, below are the top four most popular: Continue reading →

The Virgin Mary’s Feast day in Latin America is a big deal. Catholic Latinos celebrate a lo grande with processions, hymns, fireworks, and cultural events in her honor. It is part of the culture, a tradition; it the Spanish heritage, and a way of living where you may hear people exclaiming ¡Virgen Santísima! in everyday conversation.

It is not a coincidence that the majority of Latinos are Catholics and highly devoted to the Virgin. It is a heritage brought from Catholic Spain combined with a series of Marian apparitions and mystical manifestations that occurred during the history of these countries. Continue reading →

Christians are being persecuted for their faith, to a heightened degree, all over the world. What can we do about it?

First and foremost, we must stay close to Christ through frequenting the Sacraments, through personal prayer, and through devotion to his Blessed Mother. She will teach us how to be united with Christ more perfectly, and how we should personally respond to the crises that surround the Church and her faithful.

Whenever we face times of great trial, the Blessed Virgin Mary is always the one to whom the Church collectively turns in times of great trial.

“When you see the storm coming, if you seek safety in that firm refuge which is Mary, there will be no danger of your wavering or going down.”

When we read this quote from St. Teresa of Avila, we should be reminded of the importance of holy water. As a recalling of our baptism and our baptismal promises, Catholics dip their fingers in the holy water and make the sign of the cross when entering the church. Our baptismal promises included renouncing Satan and disdaining sin. However, I think that most of the time we take holy water for granted. Because we use it so regularly, it’s any easy thing to do. Continue reading →

Since medieval times it has been common for monasteries and convents to have enclosed gardens as a reflective retreat space. It served as a little oasis from community life in which to think, read, sit, walk, and pray in silence.

As the faithful meditated on the life of Jesus and Mary in the Gospels, the particular characteristics of certain plants and herbs would remind them in one way or another of these various biblical events. The life of faith colored the understanding of nature. Continue reading →

The Feast of the Ascension, also called Ascension Thursday, follows 40 days after Easter Sunday and is a Holy Day of Obligation. The Feast of the Ascension is probably treated in many places today as one of the ho-hum feast days, but historically it was a major feast (thus, its status as a holy day of obligation). In order to think of it and treat it with the same reverence as Christians of days past, it helps to reflect on it more deeply. Continue reading →

While most Latinos are raised Catholic as children, fewer and fewer of them are staying Catholic as adults, or raising their kids Catholic – even though the Catholic faith remains the dominant religion among Latinos. This is why a strong sacramental practice and a deep prayer life are necessary tools to keep yourself close to Christ and the Church he founded. As parents, you need to guide your child’s steps too. You might not know everything, but when you teach, you learn, too. So, let’s get familiar with these practical rules to help you and your child stay rooted in the Catholic Faith: Continue reading →

The “Day of the Cross” is a popular part of religious and cultural identity in many Latin American countries. “Holy Cross Day” is based on an old liturgical feast celebrating the discovery of the true cross of Christ. The day is honored with processions, singing, and hundreds of decorated crosses along roadsides and other public places. Continue reading →

I was born and raised Catholic, but I considered the use of veils during Mass as an old-fashioned tradition for older women and Evangelicals (in Latin America Protestant Evangelical women use them the most).

Then one day my husband, a faithful Catholic, gave me a fine purple mantilla imported from Spain. I was offended! What was he trying to say?! Continue reading →

Painting Easter eggs is a beloved ancient tradition for Eastern Catholic churches as well as Orthodox. The eggs are often dyed red to represent the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross.

The Easter eggs are then blessed by the priest at the end of the Easter vigil and distributed to the faithful. The shell of the egg represents the sealed Tomb of Christ, and cracking the shell represents Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Historically, Christians would also abstain from eating eggs during a strict Lent, so Easter was the first chance to eat eggs again after a long period of abstinence. In some cultures it is also common to paint wooden Easter eggs and hand them out as gifts to friends and family. Continue reading →